Software Alternatives & Startups

ChimeraOS VS CloudLinux

Compare ChimeraOS VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

ChimeraOS

Steam, Epic, GOG, retro consoles, and more... all from your couch

Rating
0 reviews
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, ChimeraOS seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 62 times since March 2021.

social mentions
62 vs 0
Gaming popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

ChimeraOS
CloudLinux
Website chimeraos.org cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

ChimeraOS 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • User-Friendly Setup
    ChimeraOS offers an easy and streamlined installation process, making it accessible for users who want a quick setup for a gaming environment.
  • Gaming Focused
    The OS is optimized for gaming, providing a simple and efficient platform intended specifically for running games via platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, and others.
  • Steam Integration
    ChimeraOS has built-in support for Steam's Big Picture Mode, offering a seamless experience for gamers who want to use their PC like a console.
  • Frequent Updates
    The OS receives regular updates that include the latest drivers and software optimizations, helping ensure compatibility and performance enhancements.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, ChimeraOS allows for community contributions and transparency in its development, encouraging collaboration and innovation.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Application Use
    While great for gaming, ChimeraOS is not designed for general-purpose use, which may limit the availability of non-gaming applications.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Even though it supports many hardware configurations, certain less common devices might encounter compatibility issues or lack driver support.
  • Customization Constraints
    Due to its focus on simplicity and gaming, there are fewer customization options compared to more traditional operating systems like Ubuntu or Windows.
  • Community Size
    As a niche project, the ChimeraOS community might be smaller compared to more mainstream OS communities, potentially limiting peer support and resources.
  • Dependencies on External Platforms
    The user's gaming experience largely depends on third-party services like Steam, which could affect functionality if these services have issues.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

ChimeraOS
CloudLinux

No analysis of ChimeraOS yet.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

ChimeraOS 3 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

Turn Your PC Into A Gaming Console With ChimeraOS! An Edge Over Steam Deck OS?

More videos

  • - ChimeraOS 33 Future Of Linux Gaming Operating System ???
  • - Steam Deck UI in ChimeraOS

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
ChimeraOS
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using ChimeraOS and CloudLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

ChimeraOS no reviews yet
CloudLinux no reviews yet
  • Best Linux Distro for Gaming
    linuxstans.com · Dec 2021

    ChimeraOS is a gaming distro based on Arch Linux. It boots directly in Steam Big Picture Mode, which makes this a great alternative to SteamOS. It comes with a lot of games pre-installed, as well as options to use...

We have no reviews of CloudLinux yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

ChimeraOS 62 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • GOG: Linux "the next major frontier" for gaming as it works on a native client
    There's some great Linux gaming distros out these days, https://bazzite.gg/ is based on Fedora and https://chimeraos.org/ is almost like SteamOS for non-Steam hardware. It ships a console-like UI on top of an immutable Arch base. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Chimera Linux NOT dropping RISC-V support after all
    OK, this one confused me. There is Chimera Linux, and also ChimeraOS - I believe they're unrelated but I had never heard of Chinera Linux and ChimeraOS is a gaming focusses distro. Odd that there are two with Chimera in the name:... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Chimera Linux works toward a simplified desktop
    I assumed this was a post about ChimeraOS, a gaming focused Linux distro, but it seems this is talking about a totally different Linux distribution with the same name. Chimera OS: https://chimeraos.org/ Chimera Linux:... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to ChimeraOS and CloudLinux

When comparing ChimeraOS and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.